Posts by Petrarca, Gleason, Boyle & Izzo, LLC
PETRARCA, GLEASON, BOYLE AND IZZO ATTORNEYS SECURE PERMANENT INJUNCTION FOR CHARTER SCHOOL CLIENT
On July 24, 2023, Cook County Judge Anna Loftus issued a permanent injunction on behalf of Urban Prep Academies, which was represented by Petrarca, Gleason, Boyle & Izzo attorneys, Eric Grodsky and Eric Bernard. CPS sought to close both of Urban Prep Academies’ campuses at the conclusion of the 2022-2023 school year through a non-renewal…
Read MoreNEW REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO EXCESS FUND ACCUMULATIONS
NEW REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO EXCESS FUND ACCUMULATIONS A new law recently signed by Governor Pritzker will require school districts to report and avoid excess accumulation of money in their principal operating funds. Public Act 103-0394 has added Section 17-1.10 to the School Code. This law will affect each district’s annual budget and levy process. It…
Read MoreMAJOR LEGAL VICTORY FOR CHICAGO CHARTER SCHOOLS
Urban Prep Academies won a significant legal victory on June 23, 2023, with the assistance of attorneys Eric Grodsky and Eric Bernard. The First District Appellate Court granted Urban Prep Academies’ motion for a temporary restraining order against Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The order prevents CPS from closing the Urban Prep-Bronzeville and Urban Prep-Englewood campuses…
Read MoreGOVERNOR’S DISASTER DECLARATION FOR COVID-19 ENDS
As of May 11, 2023, the COVID-19 public health emergency disaster proclamation declared by Governor Pritzker has ended. The expiration of this declaration also ends many of the rights afforded to individuals and school districts that were contingent upon it. Below are some of the key areas immediately affected by this expiration that schools should…
Read MoreUS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROPOSES NEW TITLE IX REGULATION PROHIBITING OUTRIGHT BAN ON PARTICIPATION BY TRANSGENDER STUDENTS IN ATHLETICS
On April 6, 2023, the US Department of Education issued its proposed regulation under Title IX concerning students’ eligibility for athletic teams. The proposed regulation would be added to 34 C.F.R. §106.41 as (b)(2), and provides as follows: If a recipient adopts or applies sex-related criteria that would limit or deny a student’s eligibility to…
Read MoreU.S. SUPREME COURT RULES THAT IDEA’S EXHAUSTION REQUIREMENT DOES NOT PRECLUDE PLAINTIFF’S ADA CLAIM BECAUSE THE RELIEF SOUGHT IS NOT AVAILABLE UNDER IDEA
U.S. SUPREME COURT RULES THAT IDEA’S EXHAUSTION REQUIREMENT DOES NOT PRECLUDE PLAINTIFF’S ADA CLAIM BECAUSE THE RELIEF SOUGHT IS NOT AVAILABLE UNDER IDEA Perez v. Sturgis Pub. Sch., No. 21-887 (U.S. Mar. 21, 2023) The Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision on March 21, 2023, holding that a plaintiff may seek a remedy, such as…
Read MoreREMINDER ABOUT BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS
REMINDER ABOUT BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS Pursuant to a recent amendment to the School Code, every school board now has until 40 days after the consolidated election to hold its organizational meeting for electing officers and setting a meeting schedule. 105 ILCS 5/10-10. School boards previously had a shorter period of 28 days after the…
Read MoreCOOK COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES’ FILING LOCATIONS FOR THE APRIL 4, 2023, ELECTION
For several years now, filings for school board candidates have been handled by the County Clerk rather than at the local school districts as was formerly done. The Cook County Clerk handles this increase in the volume of filings by using multiple sites in the suburbs as well as the Clerk’s central office in…
Read MoreRECAPTURE OF AGGREGATE EXTENSION BASE NOW ALLOWS UNDER-LEVY WITHOUT PENALTY
NOW ALLOWS UNDER-LEVY WITHOUT PENALTY Since its adoption about 30 years ago, the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (“PTELL” or “tax cap”) has contained an inherent disincentive for school districts and other taxing bodies to ever levy less than the legal maximum in any year. That is because when a district levies less than the…
Read MoreNEW FINANCIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ON CASH BALANCES AND VENDOR INFORMATION
Within the past year, two new financial reporting requirements have been imposed upon school districts. Neither is particularly onerous and neither has penalties specified for noncompliance. Nonetheless, both legal mandates are now in effect. Cash Balances. New Section 17-1.3 of the School Code provides that at the public hearing at which a school district…
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